Q&A: Advice for a homeschool mom — expose kids to real-world ideas rather than sheltering them; the principle of strategic exposure

McDowell recounts a question from a homeschool convention: a mom asked what to do when she takes her kids to Disneyland on Gay Day. McDowell surprised her by saying it is actually a good idea to intentionally take your kids on Gay Day — there are gay people in the world and we should teach our kids how to love them and be a model of Jesus. If a kid says something offensive, use that as a teaching moment to learn to apologize. The temptation is to lock kids away from the world, but the principle is: we have the truth on our side, and parents are the #1 influencer of the next generation. Find ways within the safety of home to expose kids to the ideas of the world. Example: his senior Bible class finished a months-long apologetics study, then started reading Sam Harris' Letter to a Christian Nation — showing students there is nothing to be afraid of when you are equipped. Another example: watching Bohemian Rhapsody with his son with a pre-agreed conversation afterwards.